11 replies to this topic

[pigman]

Can anybody advise with this -

In essence can it be assumed that if for instance a "Pig" gives birth every week.

That this would justifiy the funtional need

[Ty Unnos]

Hi Dave

I have read both your books and really appreciate the way you have clearly laid out an approach to living on your own land.

I think I have my head around the whole barn + caravan strategy for the first five years and for the most part can see your approach working.

Where I struggle is on the next steps, especially the functional test.

In your books you details various animal enterprises which might pass the functional test.

The problem is the options are so limited!

10,000 chickens or 200 cows is just not viable on a small acreage smallholding.

Also I don't think many people contemplating your approach would consider the mass farming methods required to pass the test.

Are there any options for people who just want a self sufficient life style with a subsistence level of income?

Or do we all have to resort to alpacas and wild boar just to have a chance!

Sorry if this comes across as negative, I know you did not make the rules!

It just strikes me that the functional and financial tests are still the real barriers to living on your own land.

[Cornish Gems]

For the functional tests you do not require 10000 hens or 200 cows. you just have to show that you have a vialble business in that for 1 year in 3 your property profited to the tune of the minimum wage ie approx �12,000 in that year, that is the small holding as a whole.

However to build a property the more you can show as profit the larger the property you can build. In other words you can afford the larger property!

All this is mentioned in the book and elsewhere in the forum, we have all looked aghast at 10000 hens etc, but we intend to have chickens as the main enterprise (for functional need) with the rest of the income produced by our land coming from fruit, etc plus perhaps a couple of pigs.

2 Devonians

[Ty Unnos]

Hi 2 Devonians

As I understood it the 1-3 years and 12K in a year is the 'financial test'.

The 'functional test' reads like this:

A functional test is necessary to establish
whether it is essential for the proper
functioning of the enterprise for one or
more workers to be readily available at
most times. Such a requirement might
arise, for example, if workers are needed
to be on hand day and night:

Basically the council will argue you can easily run your smallholding by living in the local village and commuting to your land.

This is obviously madness but you have to prove why you need to be on your land all day and all night.

Sheep don't work as the lambing season is finite and after that the sheep don't require 24 hour care.

Other animals might work if the require sufficient 24 hour care. Alpaca can keel over with out warning - wild boar are dangerous if they escape!

The problem is the council want to see large numbers of animals to meet the test, even if you are making enough money they will still not let you build a house unless you can pass the functional test.

[Ty Unnos]

Hi Dave

I think your advice is solid and having different enteprises makes sense.

But can different types of animals combine to pass the 'functional' tests.

If you had a mixture of sheep, cows, pigs and chickens in small numbers could you justify a 24 hour worker or will you be told you could run the smallholding while living in the local village?

[pigman]

Hi
You will pass the functional need test if the number of agriculturral animals you have make sufficient money for you to pass the viability test.

OK

I keep pedigree rare breed pigs
I have made the minimum wage in one of my years (and lived on that and tax credits - that in total add up to double the minimum wage+)

I have not kept the number of pigs that was advised to make up my hours specified by the county land agent apraiser (2200 per year)

But have kept a number about 50% of that number

I have diversified - by selling produce direct through mail order, at local farmers markets and from my portacabin farm shop

3. things i need to know
1. Can i use the hours spent in my diversification exploits to make up those not attained through higher stock numbers - therefore qualifying on hours required as above (2200 per year)?
2. What would be the minimum number of producing sows and progeny required or regularity of births to qualify on animal health & welfare grounds.??
3. Can you clarify that by suceeding in the Financial Test (Viabilty) as above I would now satisfy the Funtional Test as you have said above ???

PS will buy the second book

[pigman]

Sorry Dave

That was 2200 man hours not pigs - the pig numbers specified was around 50 sows plus progeny

[surreydodger]

Just as an aside, some sheep breeds reproduce all year round rather than seasonally. Probably the best known is the Dorset Horn but there are several others.